Al Ain produced an imperious display to brush aside African champions Esperance at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium as goals from Mohamed Ahmad, Hussein El Shahat and Bandar Al Ahbabi secured a 3-0 victory.

Mamic was understandably delighted with his team’s showing and is now looking ahead to a high-profile clash with Copa Libertadores winners River.

The 2018 AFC Champions League winners scored three second-half goals to advance to Wednesday’s semi-final, where the reigning European champions await in Abu Dhabi.

It is a rematch of the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup final, which Real won 4-2. But Oiwa, who was Kashima assistant coach two years ago, is now focused on causing an upset this time around.

In 2016, Kashima lost to Los Blancos in the FIFA Club World Cup final and now, thanks to second-half goals by Ryota Nagaki, Serginho and Hiroki Abe, they will have the opportunity to renew rivalries in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Asian champions had fallen at the first hurdle of the tournament in four of the past six years but Kashima avoided the same fate as Urawa Red Diamonds (2017), Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2016), Western Sydney Wanderers (2014) and Ulsan Hyundai Motors (2012) with a spirited showing at Al Ain’s Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.

Early strikes from Mohamed Ahmad and Hussein El Shahat set reigning UAE Pro League champions on their way and a second-half goal from Bandar Al Ahbabi secured the win. Al Ain will now take on Copa Libertadores winners River Plate in the semi-final back at their Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Tuesday.

Both teams unfurled enormous banners ahead of the game and there was frenzied atmosphere throughout the all-Arab clash.